Such component placement devices are known per se, they are used for, inter alia, picking up electronic components from a component supplying device, moving the component to a desired position above a substrate and placing the component at the desired position on the substrate. The picking up of the component takes place by means of a nozzle, which is for example connected to a vacuum source for creating a partial vacuum in the nozzle. To ensure that the component is picked up correctly, the nozzle must be moved into contact with the outer surface of the component. For this purpose the holder is moved in the main direction, and once the nozzle comes into contact with the component, the nozzle is moved against spring force in a direction opposite the main direction relative to the holder. The object of this relative movement is to prevent damage to the nozzle and/or to the component. In a similar manner, the holder is moved in the main direction upon placement of the component on the substrate, with the nozzle and the component being moved in a direction opposite the main direction relative to the holder once the component carried by the nozzle comes into contact with the substrate.
Usually the holder is moved a predetermined distance in the main direction. However, if components of the same type have different thicknesses, for example due to manufacturing tolerances, if the substrate is irregular in thickness or partially warped, the movement of the nozzle relative to the holder will not be constant, nor will the spring force exerted on the component be constant. Thus there is a risk that the force exerted on the component will be too great, which may lead to damage to the component. Furthermore it is possible that the component will not touch the substrate at all at the moment when the component is released, in which case the force exerted on the component will be too small. When the component is placed in soldering compound or dots of adhesive, the component must be pressed into said compound or adhesive with sufficient force. With the existing component placement devices there is a risk that the force will be too small, as a consequence of which the component will not be pressed into the soldering compound or dots of adhesive with sufficient force.